Counterbalancing device.



J. .I. STRONG.

COUNTEBB-ALANCING DEVICE.

APPLICATION men JULY 29, 1914.

1,155,846. Patented 001;. 5, 1915.

' WIVESSES w VE/V TOR [Wm-la A TTORA/EYS COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON, D c.

I IIIIIIII 7 JOHN J. STRONG, OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.

COUNTERBALANCING nnvion.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 29, 1914. Serial No. 853,862. I

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN J. Simone, a citizen of the United States, and a resident I of Birmingham, in the county of Jefferson and State of Alabama, have invented a new and useful Improvement in counterbalancing Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in counterbalances for locomotive gear, and has for its object-to provide mechanism for usein connection with the reverse mechanism of a locomotive for counterbalancing the said reversing mechanism to make the operation 7 at the begmning of the movement just when less diificult.

In the drawing is shown a top plan view of a portion 'of the frame of a locomotive provided with the improvement.

The present embodiment of the invention is shown in connection with the oscillating shaft 1 of a locomotive, the said shaft being journaled at its ends in the side members 2 of the frame of the locomotive. The oscillating shaft is provided with radial arms 3 at its ends for connection with the valve rods for operating the valves when the said shaft is oscillated, and with a third arm 4, near one end for connection with the reversing mechanism in thecab of the locomotive. At its center the shaft is provided with an arm 5, having its upper end forked and the arms 6 of the fork are arranged on opposite sides of the front end of a counterbalancing rod 7, and are pivoted thereto by means of a bolt or rivet 8."

The counterbalancing rod 7 extends through an openingat the center of a cross brace plate 9, whose ends are'secured tothe side bar 2 of the frame as indicated at 10, and cushioning mechanism is arranged on each side of the brace plate. The said mechanism comprises coil springs 11 and 11, the spring 11 encircling the counterbalancing rod on one side of the plate 9, and the spring 11 encircling the said rod on the opposite side, and adjustable stops are connected with the rod at the outer ends of the springs. Nuts 12 and 12 are threaded-onto the rod at the outer ends of thesprings 11 and 11, respectively, and washers 13 and '13? encircle the rod adjacent to the nuts. Each spring bears at "its outer end against a washer. 13 or 13?, and it will be obvious that may be adjusted. p V

In operation, when the reversing. lever is by moving the nuts the tension of the springs swung in one direction to change the'valve' motion thespring 11 or 11 will be placed under compression.- As the lever is "swung in the opposite: direction .to again change the motion, that spring which is under compression will act on the counterbalancing,

rod 7 and on 'theoscillating shaft to assist in the swinging of the lever;

The. greatest power-of the spring will be it is needed,and as the lever reaches the'cen- I Patented Oct. 5', 1915'. 7

ter both springs will be balanced under equal compression. A the lever is moved in the opposite direction past the center the other spring will be put undercompression and will remain compressed with stored up power to assist in moving the lever when it is again swung 1n the first-named dlrect-ion.

Thus thelever and the valve motion is bal anced regardless ofthe position offthe lever, and the springs act with their greatest 7 power at the exact-time when such power is needed. I claim: A counterbalancingdevice for use in connection with the reversingwmechanism offa locomot ve and comprlsmg- 1n combination with the frame of the locomotive having a cross brace plate and. an oscillating shaft journaled transversely of the frame parallel with the plate connected to the reversing intermediate its ends a radial arm, and a counterbalance rod pivoted at one end to the radial arm, the cross brace plate having an opening through which the rod extends, a coil spring encircling the rod on eachjside of the brace plate, and a stop on the rod at the outer end of each spring and adjustv vary the Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. O. i

ing mechanism, said oscillating shaft hav v 

